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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23716567">Hit by the Nerd Express</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeshiryzen/pseuds/Aeshiryzen'>Aeshiryzen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>haikyuu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Awkward Crush, City Boy, Crush at First Sight, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Getting to Know Each Other, Humor, M/M, Nerdiness, Pining, Romance, country boy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:46:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,350</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23716567</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeshiryzen/pseuds/Aeshiryzen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Saeko-nessan warned Daichi about the passing-hottie nerds at city universities. She told him about their villainous actions of stealing hearts of innocent country folks. Daichi was prepared for them and had built strong defenses against these city boys. Then here walks in Kuroo Tetsurou.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kuroo Tetsurou/Sawamura Daichi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>72</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hit by the Nerd Express</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Daichi stands with an undigested breakfast in his stomach knowing well that he's in the middle of another battleground. Living in Tokyo is like engaging in a never-ending warfare. There is always a constant battle for claiming territory.</p><p>Every public space in the city is a coveted prize for its sleep-deprived citizens: the nicely-shaded spots in picnic grounds; the entrance in supermarkets during the opening hour of a meat sale day; the best position behind the tv reporter in baseball league games; and alas, the limited seats in a newly-opened pizza joint in the middle of weekend noon in Shibuya, Tokyo's finest crowd-hoarding district.</p><p>Daichi wanted this. He was the one who insisted going to Tokyo for college. He didn't review English grammar while harvesting sweetcorn, with sore hands from writing footnotes in note cards, just to be trifled by lunchtime delays in a congested pizzeria. He's positive he will adjust to the whole Tokyo experience. Even if it had been three weeks since he arrived in the city, and he still feels like an ignorant kid shipped into a new playground. A boisterous, complicated playground full of unfamiliar things.</p><p>Just yesterday, he yelled his extra order in a family restaurant. And everyone begrudgingly stared at him like he caused the traffic jam, the cancelled holidays, the 21st century depression, just because he voiced a little louder his desire to eat two extra cups of rice.</p><p>He expected this pizza joint to be the same. But this side of the city is under a different regime. A regime where a normal audible voice could brand you an outcast by the rest of the society. People who don't amplify their voices will never get their iced teas refilled nor get their squad photos taken by a reluctant part-timer. They get shoved out of long lines. And they probably couldn't secure seats either.</p><p>Daichi had spent all his morning internalizing to keep his speech within the moderate volume range that when it mattered for him to raise his voice, he blipped. He already abused his vocal chords just to order his lunch, and now he's devoid with any belligerence to fight his ass down in one of those uncomfortable (but stylish) faux wood chairs.</p><p>Daichi scans the floor, but all he sees are the reprieved faces of sitting customers. They've been telling, that minutes ago, they too had sweated and felt the blister-making pain in their feet. So bloody stop the guilt-tripping and let them overstay, even if their plates are empty and burped scandalously 20 minutes ago.</p><p>If this was back in his hometown, most people would have invited him to their table. But in the city, no one wishes to share their space with him. Kids in the city don't have the wondrous obstinacy to cramp ten able-bodies in a tire swing. They strictly follow the 'one kid at a time' rule. And they brawl to determine who gets a turn.</p><p>Daichi hates brawling. And even if he would participate in the said brawl, he doesn't know the ways to win it. Tokyo has its confusing and contradicting rules. He will learn all these city rules someday. But not today. Today he just feels lost.</p><p>"Way to go, country boy! You really don’t know the concept of holding back when it comes to what goes into your stomach, don’t you?”</p><p>Daichi looks to his left and sees a familiar face with a familiar voice, a fellow university student, a friend maybe. The guy's name is Kuroo Tetsurou, also known as the bedhead guy from freshmen orientation, occasionally, also called the science trivia guy.</p><p>And suddenly, feeling like a lost kid in a muggle-infested den of burnt mozzarella cheese doesn't seem bad when the name Daichi doodles in his lecture notes is standing beside him. There's no better way to subdue an hour of frustration than reuniting with his crush he thought had slipped away from his life.</p><p>"This is not exactly how it looks like." Daichi says defensively looking at the food on his tray. Three large slices of two different pizzas, a large glass of iced tea, a large serving of lasagna and four pieces of fried chicken. He ordered double the servings on what are on Kuroo's tray.</p><p>“Right? Like I haven't seen you stuff your mouth with ten rice balls in three minutes. Can't fool me, bro. I know you have an appetite bigger than China.”</p><p>"And what's wrong with that? Food is a basic need."</p><p>"Never said something is wrong with it." Kuroo says. "It's kinda cool, actually. You can always enter those eating challenge events in festivals and diners. Do you know how much free food you can get from that cool talent of yours?"</p><p>Daichi has spent most of his teenage years overthinking his big appetite, and how it looks to other people. There's a rational part telling him he shouldn't be bothered by it. Yet, sometimes, he couldn't help but feel shame. But here's a boy telling him that it is a cool talent. Here's a boy beaming handsomely telling him it's okay. And it's sweeter than being praised for his looks or intelligence.</p><p>Daichi feels a sweet flow of hope. Kuroo praising one of his insecurities might mean something. Maybe Kuroo is truly the one. Maybe, this was a sign for new chances, the wave that will lead him to a brighter day.</p><p>"Yeah, thanks." Daichi says sheepishly. "I didn't really see it as a talent before."</p><p>"Well it is! You can use it for hustling. There's an eating contest near our campus next week. Some university club is hosting it." Kuroo answers. "I'll register you. I'll be your manager. We can earn a lot of money!"</p><p>"Why are we talking about money?"</p><p>"Look, bro, there are bets in these events. If I bet everything on you and your talent, then bills will fall in our hands faster than an electron leaves sodium atom when bonding with chlorine."</p><p>"You want me to enter those contests so you could earn money?"</p><p>"Not like that bro. I'm not gonna scam you. We'll be sharing electrons equally like hydrogen atoms in an ammonia molecule. It's a great opportunity!" Kuroo exclaimed in excitement.</p><p>Daichi isn't riding in any kind of wave, he's drowning in it. Of course Kuroo would never see his big appetite as something really appealing. It is just a means for him to hoard extra cash to buy a new pair of sneakers. He should have expected it, but it still hurts, a little.</p><p>Maybe he shouldn't be too affected about things said by a dude wearing a nerdy tee shirt printed with ‘BaCoN IS LiFe’ — Ba, Copper, Nitrogen, Iodine, Sulfur, Lithium, Iron. Why should a guy who butchered and reduced the periodic table of elements to spell out a joshing one-liner declaring his strong feelings for a processed-meat affect him? Actually, he's being a hypocrite. Maybe half hypocrite. That nerdy tee, he finds that sexy. And Kuroo Tetsurou is also wearing a conniving smirk that is also partially sweet, and Daichi's heart starts doing cartwheels in seconds.</p><p>"We could talk about the partnership later. Come on, let's find seats first." Kuroo says casually, unaware of the turmoil building inside Daichi's heart.</p><p>Daichi wants to protest, because he's still in conflict with his feelings. Because Kuroo is acting like an unaware bastard and it upsets Daichi. But Kuroo's crooked saint personality is one of the things that attracted him to the guy, some of it, those that make him look sexy mostly.</p><p>Kuroo approaches a table of rowdy high school boys. You know the type, flashy hairstyles, loud and acting like they own the place. The kind that needs some good ole spanking from their mothers. The kind that even adults will voluntarily choose to ignore. Not Kuroo. Thing is, it seems like Kuroo is acquainted with the group of rowdy high schoolers. Daichi's sure that the boys call him 'aniki' and words like homework, poophead, get out, rugrats, respect are thrown around. Not necessarily in that order.</p><p>After what seems like a barrage of one-sided negotiations. The boys stand up. They leave the vicinity in a very organized manner, bowing twice or thrice at different customers apologizing for misbehaving. Did Kuroo just order those boys to behave? Pretty sure he did. So that makes Kuroo a what? A hidden gang boss who never misses his chemistry class? Is he a living protagonist of a delinquent manga?</p><p>"Hey Daichi, bro, look!" Kuroo called him. "I found a free table."</p><p>Kuroo winks at him. And Daichi feels like his legs are starting to wobble. Despite his toned arms, it's probably not safe to carry a food tray while in close proximity with the guy who causes his heart to perform strained gymnastic routines.</p><p>He's still upset about the whole eating contests talk, but he has to act more mature. It may bother him now but it shouldn't tarnish this moment, because Daichi truly likes Kuroo and he wants to make this work. He joins Kuroo on the table amidst his conflicting feelings.</p><p>"Hey, why aren't you eating?" Kuroo asks. Noticing Daichi's lack of appetite must have been a wonder to him. So that's how it is, perhaps, Kuroo only sees him as a big eater boy from the countryside.</p><p>"I should punch your face right now." He hates being such an open book, and failing to let go.</p><p>"Why would you? And here I thought that you love my face."</p><p>Of course Kuroo says it in the joking manner. Of course Kuroo probably doesn't mean it. Of course he is not aware that Daichi has a huge crush on him. But Daichi has been in so much stress the whole day that his usual filters aren't working anymore.</p><p>"It doesn't mean I love your face is that sometimes I don't want to see it getting smacked down."</p><p>Did he just casually admit he loves Kuroo's face? Daichi has come to accept that maybe he will confess and admit he likes Kuroo, but not like this. Not too soon. Not by accident. Naturally, this realization triggers his foremost instinct – if you’re in the state of panic, eat. Hopefully that will satisfy Kuroo and stop asking questions, because Daichi knows he can't deal with them.</p><p>"Did I upset you?" Kuroo asks instead. "Are you now afraid of me? You probably think I'm a delinquent now. I do know those kids, and they shouldn't be here."</p><p>Daichi doesn't know if he should be thankful or be upset that Kuroo couldn't get a bloody clue. Daichi has admitted that he finds Kuroo handsome, and the guy seems to haven't heard anything. Is he not curious or is he choosing to ignore it? Right now, Daichi will just look at it as a blessing. Kuroo's handsome face may be one of his favorite topics, but it's the kind of conversation he'd rather have on his own, inside his head.</p><p>"I'm upset but it's not about that. I honestly find the whole delinquent boss thing…" sexy "... fine. It's fine." Daichi is an honest kid, but he's not that honest.</p><p>"Then, what is it?" Kuroo asks but Daichi remains silent. "Is this about the business on the bets? You want a bigger share in the winnings?" Kuroo threads carefully.</p><p>"I don't know Kuroo. You met a dude who can eat more than you, and the first thing you thought is to hoard electrons into your wallet." Daichi retorts in bitterness, pronouncing the word 'electrons' two octaves higher.</p><p>"An ion has unequal numbers of protons and electrons. Making an ion from an atom or molecule is called ionization."</p><p>Daichi still couldn't figure out the pattern of Kuroo's random science trivias. And he is too off-guard to form an emotional response, too mind-clouded to formulate a tolerable remark. He just blanks out.</p><p>"I'm a fucking asshole!" Kuroo cries, too loud that it has shaken Daichi out of his disorientation. And you know he draws the line if the crowd of shouting people stares at him in contempt. Maybe even Tokyo boys do break Tokyo rules if they are exposed into an unfamiliar stimulus.</p><p>"I'm sorry." He says, this time softer. "I really do, I'm sorry. You don't have to enter those contests. But I meant it when I said it's cool!" He said defensively. "It's a part of you, and you're cool, so by default it's also… cool. I don't think it's a bad thing. Your stomach, your body, your business. That's you and… I like that… okay… Like… Damn it, I'm so bad at this sincerity thing."</p><p>"Yeah, you're awfully bad at this."</p><p>“That's too brutal, bro. But I deserve it. Am I bothering you?” Tetsurou’s sounds unsure. “I could go to another table if you want.”</p><p>“No, no. Stay. You could stay. I don't mind your company.”</p><p>Kuroo might have many devilish sides. He can be careless with his words. He can be sassy and childish. And this might not be the last time that Kuroo will blurt something insensitive without intending to hurt. But Kuroo is also human. He is not the perfect man of Daichi's dreams. He's an actual boy who makes mistakes. But also a good-natured boy who apologizes and means it. And Daichi could confidently say that he likes the boy more than the man.</p><p>"I'm still very sorry about my insensitive remarks. I really do, it's not my intention to make fun of your appetite."</p><p>"Okay, you're forgiven."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Yes. Besides, I still plan on entering those eating contests. I mean, I'd probably eat a bucket of cheap ramen full of salt and artificial flavoring, but a broke college student doesn't have to be picky." Daichi says amiably, and Kuroo laughs. Daichi laughs with him, and like that, they're cool.</p><p>There's just something about Kuroo Tetsurou that could easily penetrate Daichi’s territory. But probably, part of it is because Daichi allows him to.</p><p>"Thanks, bro. But let me make it up to you. I'll buy you more pizza." Kuroo offers.</p><p>"Oh, a bribe! I'll gladly take bribes. How many slices are you willing to offer?"</p><p>"Oh damn it. You're gonna squeeze out my pockets, won't you?"</p><p>"You expect me to hold back when it comes to my pizza? Never. Who knows, there could be a zombie apocalypse tomorrow and it would be a long time before we could enjoy pizza again."</p><p>"There's an incoming Zombie apocalypse? Hey, is that it? Is that why you are hoarding pizza and living your best life? You know that a big disaster is coming? Come on, tell me all the secret details. Don't worry, I have a doomsday lair where we could hide."</p><p>Sometimes Kuroo is awfully nice. Sometimes he is awfully rude. But most of the time, he's just an awful dumbass, who is also irresistible and charming, who Daichi wants to kiss.</p><p>There should be a rule for humans not to have any kind of attraction towards dumbass people. But then again, human beings would have been extinct long ago because 99.99 % of the population are dumbasses. And humans are genetically wired to procreate with dumbass creatures.</p><p>"No, I don't have any conspiracy theory. And I'm hardly living my best life."</p><p>"You don't?"</p><p>"No, I don't."</p><p>"I see. We could change that."</p><p>"How?"</p><p>"What do you mean how? We already talked about it. Let's eat more pizza."</p><p>Kuroo flashes Daichi a glint in his eyes. The one that makes Daichi weak on his knees. He first saw that glint during freshmen orientation three weeks ago.</p><p>Daichi attended the orientation hoping it would help him to settle in smoothly through college. He didn't know how his attendance would be helpful, but he was willing to take as many advice as he could. There really weren't a lot of options for an ignorant kid fresh from the country with zero city contacts.</p><p>He was hell-bent to keep up the diligent new student act. He behaved, took notes and listened intently. He was successful in the first 5 minutes, then some guy sat on the empty seat next to him. And this is the part when his 'college survival master plan' fell apart.</p><p>"Fun fact, cicadas during the first years of their life stay underground. They do tunneling. Then they emerge from the ground after 2 to 17 years depending on the species."</p><p>Those words had successfully ceased Daichi's fingers from writing a new character in his notes. That voice made Daichi turn his head, taking his attention away from the outdated welcome video presentation on the screen.</p><p>"I'm sorry I didn't get that?" Daichi uttered confused, staring at a dude with an insane bedhead, trying to recover from the rush of blood to his cheeks. The guy was cute, and Daichi was smitten. He thought he had built enough walls against cheeky, cute college boys, but he hadn't attended any class yet and he was already in a sinkhole.</p><p>"The cicadas, they go above ground to mate. The male sings while the female responds. They'll do that for several weeks, then die, because that's life cycle." Bedhead dude suddenly looked unsure, scratching his right cheek, avoiding eye contact, as if like Daichi, he had also left half of his brain at home.</p><p>"Uhmm… Excuse me, do you have a power bank?" Bedhead blurted with grueling clumsiness.</p><p>"Ahhh…. Sorry I didn't catch that."</p><p>"A power bank. It could be square, rectangle, white, or black."</p><p>"Yeah, I know what a power bank is. I suppose?"</p><p>"If you have one, can I borrow and consume the electric charges stored in the device? My phone is damaged, and it needs to be switched on all the time."</p><p>That's when Daichi truly short-circuited. The world was bright, angels were singing in the heavens. Mr. Cute Bedhead here wanted to borrow a power bank, and Daichi had one. It's probably fate working here. It should be, right?</p><p>"Yeah… I think I have… No, no no! I mean I own one. And I bring it with me. It's new. It's from my aunt. She's kinda all into the tech stuff. It's not like I don't know about technology. I live in the country, not 1825. But I'm not, you know, super knowledgeable, but I know enough. Just what normal people know."</p><p>This must be how getting struck by a Cupid arrow was like, incoherent words would still run from your mouth despite getting tongue-tied. Daichi rummaged inside his bag. Looking for an item he had carefully arranged in his bag shouldn't take this long. It shouldn't! But there was a gorgeous boy in front of him screwing his physiological functions, which included his uncooperative hand.</p><p>"I'm looking for it right now. I swear it's inside." It took forever, but his jittery hand had eventually got hold of the item. "Here it is! Do you know how to use it? I could teach you how. Of course you know. You're also a normal human not from 1825."</p><p>"Yeah, I know how to use it." Bedhead said awkwardly. "Thank you. You're a savior."</p><p>"I'm glad to help, you know, about your phone troubles."</p><p>Bedhead brought out his cable cord and plugged it in the power bank, then connected the other end to his phone. It was a nothing-special, 21st-century-man action, but Daichi couldn't help but be enchanted by Bedhead's willowy hands. He swore, charging smartphones must have been a new form of art.</p><p>"Thank you again for this. Lithium polymers are good cellphone batteries but don't have the same life span as its predecessor lithium ions. That resulted with me getting stuck with a defective gadget."</p><p>"I bet that wasn't a true li-po battery. My power bank isn't. I know that because my aunt drilled that to me. A genuine li-po battery is expensive, so companies do some alterations."</p><p>Bedhead looked at him in wonder, then he smiled, a friendly smile blaring with warnings of trouble. A crescent moon smile that reminds Daichi of that Disney cartoon character, that conniving feline who perpetuated half of the chaos in Wonderland. The Cheshire Cat smile. Right there on Bedhead's face. And Daichi is hypnotized by that dangerous smirk.</p><p>"Yeah right. In other words, those corporation dickheads duped us." Bedhead didn't look like he was in any way resentful that capitalism controlled cheated society on battery quality. Rather, he looked amused, exhilarated even. "But that's the challenge of modern technology isn't it? Developing high-tech devices that are both cheap and efficient."</p><p>So Bedhead is some kind of science romanticist. He gave off the playful genius vibe. He probably had a Jules Verne book tucked under his pillow. He probably had a miniature rocket stashed under his bed. Mind always active, with a heart easily swayed by the challenge of a scientific query.</p><p>"Hey do you know that mankind still does not have a concrete explanation why we don't fall in bicycles?" Bedhead leaned closer. "Some people often associate it with gyroscope, that tiny toy with a wheel in the middle. But it wasn't that simple. There are a lot of variables to be considered, the ground-reaction forces, the gravity and inertial reactions, the center-of-mass, steer axis. It's a whole lot of math and equations it makes the theory of relativity understandable."</p><p>"I suppose, that was your life goal. To find an explanation."</p><p>"Probably, maybe, depends." Bedhead shrugged. "It's just that with the way we seem to have explanations to almost everything, the forces of nature will always bite us in the rear. Na-ah, you thought you did, but you didn't. You know, like that one word in the crossword puzzle you can't answer. But maybe it's good too. There are things that are better to remain as mysteries."</p><p>Daichi felt oddly mesmerized of the things he heard, and of the person who had been telling them. He felt ironic feelings of panic and giddiness. It was strange how fast he felt comfortable with the stranger. Had he known this boy for 10 seconds or 10 years?</p><p>Kuroo had a faint smile as he talked. He was enchanting that Daichi couldn't help but smile back, then he stopped halfway when he realized what he's doing. He shouldn't be all heart-eyes with a guy like Bedhead. Saeko-nessan was in this exact same situation before, and she warned Daichi of the trouble that would plague his life.</p><p>'Daichi, beware of city college boys, especially the smart ones. They're the worst villains! You can probably handle a dumb jock or a narcissistic band guy, but you can never win against a passing-hottie nerd. They will bewitch you with their theories and their mad scientist smiles. They're gonna amaze you with their intelligent minds, with their intelligent topics and all those intelligent things they do. Don't fall for those. The next thing you know, you'll be smiling at random stuff that you don't understand and you'll be hypnotized to believe that oversized backpacks are the sexiest male accessories.'</p><p>Daichi knew that Saeko-nessan was right. He knew that this Bedhead guy was the passing-hottie nerd who was unwittingly seducing him with physics jargons. The supervillain who was rapidly crawling to Daichi's heart, and he was doing it so easily.</p><p>"Maybe we should stop talking and listen more to the people on the stage." Daichi suggested, even if he didn't really want it.</p><p>"Oh, okay. You're right. Sorry. I just got excited."</p><p>This was Daichi's initial attempt to stop from getting mesmerized further. It affected nothing. There was no exit, just a long straight way to a deeper pit. Saeko-nessan herself failed to resist (she's about to marry that dude who invented some new microwave oven). Then here was Daichi, for the first time not thinking about dinner, but on how could Bedhead sitting with a black school bag in his lap ever looked so pretty.</p><p>Daichi began to daydream of him and Bedhead in a romantic affair, a getaway trip ripped from a cheesy afternoon Japanese drama.</p><p>Any second, Bedhead would casually say he was bored, and he would invite Daichi to sneak out. Bedhead would lead him outside, to his scooter and give Daichi a windy ride around the city. He would bring Daichi to a bowling alley that gives out free apple candies, then show him a vintage manga store hidden in an underground pedestrian tunnel. They would kiss by sunset, and they would dine in a ramen food cart near the university gate.</p><p>Not any of his fantasies happened. Instead, the boring program carried for another hour, where Daichi sneaked awkward glances at the boy beside him, where Bedhead would disclose a scientific fact at the most inopportune time. Where Daichi restrained his turbulent, unexplored emotions everytime Bedhead wet his lips with his tongue.</p><p>It wasn't the great escape, but Daichi held at every moment of that encounter until the very end. And it did end. Eventually, there wouldn't be any member of the faculty left to speak on the stage. And Daichi and his Bedhead had to leave the auditorium along with the other students.</p><p>"I didn't catch your name." Bedhead spoke once they were out of the auditorium. "I'm Kuroo Tetsurou. Just call me Kuroo.</p><p>"I'm Sawamura Daichi. You can call me Daichi. I don't have a boyfriend. I'm gay by the way. Some people say I'm a discreet type, but I don't understand that. How about you, are you..." Daichi bit his lower lip to stop himself from talking.</p><p>"Nice meeting you Daichi." Kuroo smiled. The smirky cat returned to prey on him. "By the way, I'm also gay. And I don't have a boyfriend right now."</p><p>This is it! The cue! The moment! The opportunity! Experienced and bold city boys would have shot back with a flirty line. Experienced and bold city boys would have responded with a kittenish chuckle, would have shown hints that their afternoon was free and that they're curious about the cafe near the Engineering Building with four star ratings in Trip Advisor.</p><p>But not everyone was an experienced and bold city boy. Some were wide-eyed country boys whose accumulated knowledge in real life romance came from hasty observations of their classmates hooking up in the town's local convenience store. Some were clueless adolescents whose self-awareness had yet to catch up with their growth hormones. Some boys were members of the no-boyfriend-since-birth club that made their flirting game entirely non-existent. There's that boy, and his name was Sawamura Daichi.</p><p>"That makes us like… " soul mates, destined lovers, potential boyfriends "... twin brothers." Daichi regretted the words the moment they came out.</p><p>"Yeah, you're right?" Kuroo said. His eyes losing the glint. His voice losing hues of gaiety. "Right… bro."</p><p>Never did someone calling him a brother disappointed him before. Oh how he learned that a word that was usually said to combat sorrow and solitude was capable of crushing a budding hope from a young heart like his. He was aware it was he who doomed all the chances, but Kuroo didn't have to agree with him.</p><p>"Well, I guess. See you around." Kuroo said. And that's the moment Daichi knew that there wasn't anything that would save him from drowning.</p><p>"See you."</p><p>Kuroo gave his last wave, half smiling, and walked out, leaving Daichi with only his name.</p><p>Two days later, they met at the school park. Kuroo invited him to eat lunch, where the famous onigiri incident happened and his eating talents were finally revealed. This time, they had a colorful conversation, a proper getting-to-know.</p><p>Daichi listened to Kuroo's stories about him missing his bus stop, the radio drama his grandmother listened to during the weekends, and the things Albert Einstein had seen in his dreams when he was at their age. Kuroo confirmed he had a collection of Jules Verne novels. A paperback copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea would often wander in his bed. He hadn't launched any miniature rocket yet, but he's been experimenting on iron warship models since he was thirteen.</p><p>Then Daichi told Kuroo about the village legend about his father saving a drowning sow, the bee that wandered to his room the night prior, and the math equations Marie Curie solved when she's taking breaks from her experiments. He told Kuroo about his buttons collection, the time he got in trouble for plucking the buttons from his mother's blouses. And while Kuroo designed ships, Daichi had proudly described his egg incubator, and how it bagged the grand prize in the farmer's fare.</p><p>In those two hours, Daichi was positive they had destroyed the walls of polite acquaintances and became friends who sometimes roasted each other. He was positive he saw more of Kuroo, the person within. He saw the bright young man with a mind as wide as the universe, the gremlin whose sassy mouth may cause him an arm someday, the dumbass who always forgets to charge his phone, and the beautiful soul whom Daichi wishes to unravel further.</p><p>Daichi wanted to spend more time with Kuroo. He wanted to form a relationship with him, even if this relationship can be nothing more than a form of brotherhood. He would be satisfied with it if it meant they could have more lunch dates and more bright conversations.</p><p>He wanted it all, and he could have had it if only he asked for the guy's contact information. But he didn't, and he almost lost hope at seeing Kuroo again.</p><p>Days of unhealthy musing, with reluctant hard feelings, Daichi was about to let go. Kuroo Tetsurou was the big firework in New Year's Eve – exciting, new, explosion in the sky, faster than sound, ending suddenly. He was the what if, the shoulda, woulda, coulda. This summer, he will be the name Daichi drops as he keeps up with Asahi and Suga. The piece of his diary he will share as he smiles hopelessly, sighs sluggishly, wondering if Kuroo too gets to enjoy a slice of chilled watermelon in the blazing heat.</p><p>Then today Kuroo Tetsurou has the audacity to appear in front of him, looking gorgeous in that geeky bacon shirt, dropping missed compliments, like he didn't cause Daichi hours of sleep and pages on his notebook. Kuroo Tetsurou has the audacity not only to buy Daichi more pizzas but also to invite him to 'a casual walk in the city'. Kuroo Tetsurou was here, and he's firing all the hopes and dreams inside Daichi's delicate heart.</p><p>"Do you have more questions about country life, ignorant city boy?" Daichi asks jovially.</p><p>It’s been five hours since he's with Kuroo just 'hanging out'. It's been 40 minutes since they entered the cafe. And it's been 30 seconds since he tasted the bittersweet coffee Kuroo recommended to him. It has been a long day, yet his mind and heart are still spiking more with life. Kuroo is burning him red, and he doesn't wanna be anywhere but here.</p><p>"Do you have 24-hour convenience stores?"</p><p>"We do! We just don't have those electronic doors that open and close instantly." Daichi exclaims. "They don't sell large sundae cones though. And there's only one color of lemonade, which depends on who's on shift."</p><p>"You mean I won't be able to mix colors? A convenience store without the option to create a blue-green lemonade? That's a crime! How did you survive for more than ten years without drinking blue-green lemonade for at least a week? That's a basic need for survival!"</p><p>"I just did! You're being dramatic. Have you heard of adaptation?" </p><p>"Says the one who got lost looking for the restroom."</p><p>"I'm sorry for being a country bumpkin failing to instantly adjust into the Tokyo lifestyle. I'm sorry that I found your multiple-colored lemonade overwhelming the first three days. But, I'll be alright now. So you're concern is not needed anymore."</p><p>"I gave you a proper tour, so of course you'll be alright."</p><p>"I don't think that's the reason." Daichi teased. "I'm a tough cookie. It just needed some time for me to unleash my hidden shounen mc power of bravery. You, on the other hand, will not survive beyond the five kilometer radius of your comfort zone."</p><p>"Damn you!" Kuroo humorously tried to sound offended. "Maybe I should try that one color lemonade lifestyle once. I bet I'll do better than you. I'm the real shounen manga MC."</p><p>"You really think you could? Wait till you go to my hometown. You won't survive a day without your precious public wifi."</p><p>"Is that an invitation?"</p><p>"An invitation for what?"</p><p>"You know, I mean…" Kuroo's knuckles slightly curl in his lap, he stiffens like he has forgotten to breathe. "Are you, are you inviting me to visit your hometown?"</p><p>Daichi freezes. It was a careless statement, but hearing it from Kuroo's mouth opens it into a possibility. What are the chances that he will share a slice of chilled watermelon with Kuroo this summer?</p><p>"I'll ask my family first."</p><p>Asking his family? Should he be making this sort of promise? Should he really start planning bringing a boy home? He tries to rationalize not to overthink, that there's nothing deeper in Kuroo's side. Kuroo will be just a visiting friend from university, nothing more, but Daichi also would rather if he won't be.</p><p>Faster than a Black Mamba striking its prey, Daichi reaches for the chocolate donut and chows it down right into his mouth. To Daichi, there is no better remedy to purge thoughts of hopelessness than a bite of confection.</p><p>"Sunflowers do track the sun. People say they don't because we see sunflowers facing different directions, but they do. It's just that sometimes seed reproduction makes the flowers heavier. The stems will stiffen and the mature flower heads will generally remain facing east." Kuroo utters out of nowhere, and for the nth time, his unsolicited science trivia calms Daichi.</p><p>"It's a called heliotropism, a growth movement in plants induced by light. Soybeans also exhibit the same behavior." Daichi says.</p><p>"You dog, I just wasted a science trivia and missed an opportunity to exhibit my amazing memorization skills."</p><p>"I'm a farmer's son, so I know my plants. But there are probably facts I don't know so you can still show off how good you memorize anytime."</p><p>"Then let's change our conversation to botany. It's not everyday I get to have an expert with me."</p><p>Daichi is far from an expert but he knows stuff. In his own way, he could emit a scientific flare that could make Kuroo experience brain orgasm. The thing Kuroo loves more than sharing his encyclopedic knowledge, is to have someone whom he could chatter with. That is something Daichi is willing to indulge Kuroo.</p><p>They extend their stay in the cafe for another 30 minutes with a colorful talk about plants — scientific facts mixed with plant memes and knock knock jokes. They were at the end of their discussion on genetically modified corn when one of the staff changes the cafe playlist.</p><p>"I know this song. It's from that body swap anime movie. I think." Kuroo comments offhandedly.</p><p>"Don't tell me you haven't seen Your Name."</p><p>"Am I going to die if I didn't?"</p><p>“And I'm the country boy who hasn't caught up with every fad of this age."</p><p>"I saw Titanic, bro! My movie experience isn't bad."</p><p>"Titanic, really? That's not 1825, but that's still vintage."</p><p>"Yeah, saw it yesterday." Kuroo said with a cat smile that broadcasts he's not to be trusted. "In VHS."</p><p>"Those are still a thing?"</p><p>"We still have one." Kuroo said casually. "It's attached to our washing machine, connected to the plasma TV. It's a thing of wonder really. We've been doing laundry while watching movies in our house. Saves a lot of time. It can be confusing though. Sometimes you press the play button in the remote and the washing machine starts spinning."</p><p>"You're full of shit, Kuroo." Daichi exclaimed furiously, because he was genuinely curious but got taunted by Kuroo's games and made-up science fiction gadgets.</p><p>Kuroo starts laughing. That is one practical joke he just won over Daichi. Being the bastard he is, he relishes on his trivial victory by producing the ugliest laugh Daichi has ever heard in his life.</p><p>He won't admit it out loud, but Daichi finds that laugh slightly adorable in all its obnoxiousness. And it's alarming that he's not alarmed by it. This attraction is developing into something more. It is no longer 'he's cute I wanna put him in my pocket' crush, but has evolved into 'he's so funny, he's so fine and he's an idiot, I wanna run away with him to Vegas and be wedded by Elvis Presley' infatuation.</p><p>Daichi’s godfather once described that such behavior is a sign of insanity. He runs this famous psychiatric ward in Sapporo, so he's probably right.</p><p>Daichi is hit by the nerd express, stuck in the middle of a catastrophic musical number, stabbed by spring's devious games, and no words of reason will save him from going insane. He's the sucker who let a boy who owns no comb fully invade his mind, but he simply can't let everything go. If there's one thing Saeko-nessan nor his godfather hadn't told him, is that liking a boy feels so damn good.</p><p>Daichi's thoughts race back to the auditorium, back to the food court in the student union building. His first two encounters with Kuroo. And now, Kuroo is in front of him for the third time, holding his tummy producing weirdass hyena sounds.</p><p>On this rainy Saturday dusk, with the rich sounds of a rock band playing in the background, Daichi watches it begin again. And this time he's gonna do it right.</p><p>"You know what? Maybe we could see a movie together. What's your Line ID? We should keep in touch." Daichi brings out his phone. And before he taps the Line app icon, he takes one deep breath, throws a wish at the city lights, and says, "Also, would you mind stop calling me 'bro'?"</p><p>Kuroo looks at him grinning like a devil.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Sends you love!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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